Theory - Sea people also invaded the maghreb

**~~Hamilcar~~** · 11-22-2020, 05:20 PM

I recently learned that megalithic structures where also found all over the levant :

Which pushed scholars like Duncan Mackenzie & Francis G. Newton to believe in a "a pan-Mediterranean & European 'Megalithic Culture" and their presence there coincides (roughly) with the appearance of this same culture in the north-eastern part of the maghreb and we do know that ceramics in this region show very strong similarities with ceramics of Italy/Sicily (Bronze age/iron age).

In the case of these specific dolmens this is what we knows about their possible origin/influence:

Corsica, peninsular Italy, Sardinia have, next to more important monuments, dolmens identical to those of North Africa. Sardinia especially, seems to have played an important role in the dissemination of small Mediterranean dolmens.

So we can, in my opinion and like many scholars before , consider a possible spreading of this culture by some culturally homogeneous south european populations that spread it to the levant and north africa. This is where I think it coincides with the expansion of the Sea people.

Well ancient egyptians when it comes to the invasions of the sea people, talk about these people : Lukkas, Pelesets, Shardanes and Shekeleshs. Historians identify these "Shardanes" with ancient Sardinians and "Shekeleshs" with the Sicels of Sicily. We do know that in the first expansion of the sea people, both of these people were part of the army of the Libyan/berber king Meryey and this is what the pharaoh Merenptah at Karnak tell us:

"The wretched, fallen chief of Libya, Meryey, son of Ded, has fallen upon the country of Tehenu with his bowmen – Sherden, Shekelesh, Ekwesh, Lukka, Teresh, Taking the best of every warrior and every man of war of his country. He has brought his wife and his children – leaders of the camp, and he has reached the western boundary in the fields of Perire"

but this is what another translation tell us :

"The vile leader, the vanquished of Libya, Meryre, son of Ded, comes from the land of the Tjehenou, with his archers […] Shardanes, Shekelesh, Aqwesh, Lukkas, Turesh, having trained the elite of the combatants from his country. […] He had reached the western limit (of Egypt) in the countryside of Perirê."

All of this makes me think of a possible first wave of expansion touching the maghreb (with these Shardanes/Shekeleshs spreading their culture there ) and then they moved eastward, taking part in the diffusion of their megalithic culture in the Levant. Moreover I can imagine them making alliances with the local berber tribes which would ultimately bring them to participate in these libyan campaigns against Egypt.

What do you guys think ?